Tex-Mex and Southern Comfort

Hey Y’all, I’m Amber!

Rudy’s Creamed Corn

August 7, 2011 By: Amber

This post originally appeared on July 28th, 2009. It continues to be the most popular way that people find Bluebonnets & Brownies, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to bring “home” to our dinner table. About a week ago, I hosted 4 bloggers in my home for the weekend of Big Summer Potluck. I served this for dinner on Thursday night with barbecued chicken and Borracho Beans. It was a feast! With barbecue season nearly at a close, I wanted to make sure you have time to put this on your Labor Day party menu. You’ll be asked for the recipe for weeks to come. And because this side dish comes together in the slow cooker without much effort, it’s the perfect side dish for the grill. No oven, no mess, and it can be served right in the slow cooker on the table. Enjoy!

If you’ve been through San Antonio, Austin, Schertz, or Leon Springs in the last 10 years or so, you might have heard about the “worst barbecue in Texas”, Rudy’s Bar-B-Q.

First, let me go on record that I don’t know anyone from Rudy’s, and this isn’t an endorsement they’ve asked for. This is simply my favorite barbecue eatin’ place back home. Their smoked turkey is to die for, but I always have the most ridiculous time choosing between the turkey and the brisket. Who doesn’t love a good Texas brisket?

Sorry, my mouth just watered a little, and it’s 8 o’clock in the morning.

But the one thing at Rudy’s that is never to be missed is their creamed corn. The beans are good, the peach cobbler divine (and all served in pint or quart servings), but the creamed corn.. well, I could eat it for breakfast, and I could eat an entire quart on my own. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.

For years, my family has been trying to deconstruct what it consists of, because it’s certainly not like any creamed corn you’ve ever had before. And it’s nothing like that horrible sludge you get in the canned vegetable aisle.

It’s full of sweet corn kernals that pop in your mouth with a fresh picked taste, and the sauce.. no, gravy.. melts in your mouth and makes you think of Thanksgiving and Easter and long afternoons spent cooking with your grandma.

I haven’t been home, or to Rudy’s, in a while. So the other week, when a friend tweeted about trying Rudy’s on her roadtrip, I realized I had to try to find a recipe and add it to our barbecue menu for the weekend. We were having about 30 people over, and I just knew it would be a big hit. I made what I thought would be enough for 50 people. Yeah… there was none left by the end of the party. I really wanted leftovers for a change, too.

The interweb is great for things like this. I managed to find a “light” version on RecipeZaar, and then just fattened that bad boy up (I wanted to be as authentic as possible for my first attempt).

I don’t know what more I can say about this. It’s an inspired side dish, and it’s good alongside barbecue or a roast dinner (as the English like to say). I nearly cried when I tasted it straight out of the crock-pot. A little bit of Rudy’s, right there in my kitchen. You’ve really got to try it to believe me.

If you’re feeling especially inspired, you could get fresh ears of corn from the farmer’s market, and strip them of the kernals, instead of using frozen corn.

Rudy's Creamed Corn

1

2

3

4

5

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:

Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

Servings

Prep Time

12people

5minutes

Cook Time

4hours

Servings

Prep Time

12people

5minutes

Cook Time

4hours

Rudy's Creamed Corn

1

2

3

4

5

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:

Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

Servings

Prep Time

12people

5minutes

Cook Time

4hours

Servings

Prep Time

12people

5minutes

Cook Time

4hours

Ingredients

4lbsFrozen sweet corn

28 oz blockscream cheesediced into 1 inch squares

1sticksalted butter

3/4cupheavy whipping cream

4tbspgranulated sugar

1tspblack pepper

1/2tspsalt

Servings: people

Units:

Instructions

Throw all the ingredients, without any sort of ceremony or circumstance, into a crockpot on medium or low for at least 4 hours.

Recipe Notes

If you need it done faster, cook it on the stove or on high in the crockpot, but be prepared to sacrifice a little of the savory goodness that results when corn is allowed to soak in dairy for hours. All of the cream cheese pieces should be completely melted and will easily break down and combine with the cream and butter to make the 'gravy'.

Do not over-salt. There is plenty of salt in the butter and cream cheese. Over-salting will ruin this dish.

If you want a lighter version of this, please follow the recipe on RecipeZaar that this recipe is adapted from.

I miss Rudy’ so bad now that I don’t live in TX, that I scoured the internet tonight and came upon your recipe. I can’t wait to try it! This has to be the most delicious BBQ side dish ever created.

I do have a question please. You mentioned the cream cheese needs to be mixed with the milk, but there is no milk in the recipe. Did you mean the “milk” as in the sauce that is created from the heavy cream & butter? Or did you forget real milk from the recipe?

Thanks again, and I will try this recipe out as soon as you let me know. =)

OMG I am always raving to my husband how great their creamed corn is and how much I miss it (I live in Las Vegas now..and there isnt a Rudys anywhere remotely close lol). I cant wait to make this…my husband just made a face..so I might be eating the whole pot myself but I dont care lol

This was seriously amazing. I’ve never had creamed corn before this, but I’ve seen the stuff that comes out of the can, and…yuck. This however? Heaven on a plate. I was just thinking about this yesterday and hoping you’d post the recipe! 😉

Sara, I think that might work. Possibly start with frozen ingredients so that it doesn’t overcook while you’re gone. You can freeze everything but the cream – so toss the blocks of cream cheese and butter in the freezer now. They’ll be easier to cut up that way too. And use frozen bagged corn. Toss it all in the crockpot before you leave, including the fresh cream, and leave on low. I think it’ll be just fine. If it looks a little weird at first, that’s okay. Just stir and it’ll look right

I just had to see the recipe for the best creamed corn, well, because I think I already have that recipe. Mine comes from an old Junior League cookbook from Oklahoma that someone once brought me from a visit there. AMAZING how similar they are…yours is for a larger quantity but both use cream cheese, butter of course and it’s make in a crockpot! I will concur, just the best creamed corn EVAH!

Rudy’s turkey got me through my last trimester of pregnancy with my son. I’m surprised he didn’t start eating it right out of the womb-I ate that much of it. I do love their corn too. If you ever find yourself in College Station find J. Cody’s. Their creamed corn is amazing-spiced w/ jalapenos. I can eat that alone and pass on the meat. Mmmm-now I think I may have to find myself some Rudy’s tonight!

Let me know when you plan to visit College Station. I can give you a list of places to visit. I realize you live elsewhere and it may be a while before you visit, but I don’t see these eateries going anywhere. They are tradition and timeless!

We had a lady from our church make this for every potluck, the only difference is she added jalapenos. When Sarah told me what all she put in the cream corn she said she used jalapenos from a jar. Silly me thought she used a whole jar! That was one side dish no one ate.

I had Rudy’s Saturday night!!!! I heart the corn…and the brisket, and the beans, and the coleslaw, and the…nevermind! Good stuff. And guess what, LUBBOCK HAS A RUDY’S! I will be sharing this…There is also a restaurant in New Orleans called Zia {one in Albuquerque also…corn grits. If you like Rudy’s corn, you will like them too. I’ll find a link and email it to you. It’s the southern version of fettuccine Alfredo, you know, heart attack on a plate, but man, were they good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is AWESOME!! I used sweet corn that I cut off the cob and I should have added less sugar……but…it was so delicious. My aunt and mother-in-law said that it was the best thing that they have ever tasted. We mixed left overs with salsa and it was super tasty to dip our chips in. Thanks for the great recipe

Cara, thanks so much for coming back to tell me! Adding Salsa to make a dip, now that’s a *great* use of leftovers. I never would have thought of it, but I’m sure it’s delicious. We put cream cheese in our Salsa all the time (a solid block, not blended in), and I bet it’s a similar taste. YUM!

My family loves Rudy’s and especially their cream corn! My daughter really wants this at her wedding reception. There isn’t a crock pot that large….so do you think if we slow cooked the batches it would work?
And on a sidenote…I think your picture shows a bit more pepper than your recipe calls for and how Rudy’s serves it. OTHERWISE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS RECIPE!

Camille, you can cook the recipe in normal pans, or even the oven. Whatever works for you guys to get it ready for the wedding. You could double or triple the recipe and cook it in a huge industrial stock pot, I think, without much issue. Just make sure you chop up the creamed corn so it melts, and stir it often so it doesn’t scorch.

I think you could also make it a day or two ahead of time and then put it in those tinfoil serving trays to be reheated in the oven. I just wouldn’t cook them that way on the day of the wedding, because I’d be nervous about the cream cheese melting effectively before you need to serve.

As for the pepper, you caught me. We eat what I photograph, and my husband likes his with a bit more pepper. Plus, I think it adds a nice touch of contrast to the photograph. It was meant as a garnish, and I thought it came across that way in the photo. I’m sorry if it caused any confusion.

My mom loves creamed corn although i’ve never really liked it. the stuff mom always bought in the can looked gross but this this recipe looks amazing. If i were to cut it in half would i still be able to cook it 4 hours?

Erin, that sludge in the can is so yucky, I can’t believe I ever ate it as a kid. I think you’d want to cook it on low for those 4 hours, but I don’t think it’d be a problem. Maybe start on low and switch to high for the last hour if you feel the cream cheese hasn’t melted enough.

Can’t beat Rudy’s Spicy Chopped Beef sandwich topped with creamed corn and a little bbq sauce–that’s how my son loves to eat it! And yes the turkey is perfect too. I’m thinking lunch today. Lived in Princeton and now back home in Texas. Call if you need some Austin BBQ shipped. We used to ship Pace picante sauce from San Antonio, Angelo’s brisket from Ft. Worth, and Iron Works ribs to NJ when we just couldn’t stand it anymore and had to taste some smokey Tx BBQ!

I am from San Antonio born and raised and now live in Cleveland I am going to have to try this recipe thank you for posting….when we went home to visit Rudy’s was the first place my daughter wanted to eat at…..

I’ve been drooling over this recipe for months. My husband just got back from a deployment to Afghanistan and my dad sent a whole brisket from Rudy’s so we can celebrate! (I’m SO glad they ship now! Expensive but worth it!!) This is going to be the perfect side; we’ve already got the Shiner in the fridge. Thank you for posting it!

Amber … hi there! I found your blog by searching google for “Rudy’s creamed corn recipe”. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I’ve bookmarked your blog and can’t wait to come back and sift through your archives and get acquainted when I have a bit more time.

I really have to share a quick story with you. I live in SATX, and the other day my sister got a hankering for Rudy’s BBQ, so she picked some up on the way home. My mouth was already watering before she hit the door, (the best smoked turkey EVER), but when she started unpacking the meal, I’ll have to say that I got a pitiful sad face and was so disappointed.

Sitting there on the kitchen counter was a tub of creamed corn. Oh, yuck!!!! I’ve NEVER liked creamed corn of any kind; in fact, I never even liked the idea of creamed corn. It just had no place in my kitchen. I was grumbling to myself something along the lines of, “she KNOWS I don’t like creamed corn – I can’t believe that’s the only side dish she brought home – how rude of her”, and just about that time, she turned around and saw my pouting face and said, “I know you don’t like cream corn, but that’s because you haven’t tried Rudy’s creamed corn before”.

Not wanting to be totally rude, (after all, she did buy dinner), I spooned an itsy bitsy portion of creamed corn onto my plate and shuffled off, muttering something to myself about being forced to eat baby food and having to pretend to like it, or something along those lines.

Well, I guess you know what happened next. After the very first bite of creamed corn, I went rushing back to the kitchen, where I helped myself to a very generous portion of that golden deliciousness! I would never have believed that there was a creamed corn that could become my friend, but now, after tasting Rudy’s creamed corn, I have a friend for life!

I guess the moral of the story is two-fold:
No matter how old you are, don’t forget to try new things.
If you find something you love, don’t forget to share it with others!

I can totally relate to that experience! My goodness how I miss that smoked turkey.. I really need to get a smoker and get to work on making it. We buy big jars of the Rudy’s Rub to bring home, but it’s just not the same without that smokey flavor too.

I love this: “If you find something you love, don’t forget to share it with others” – totally why I have this blog!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back and let me know how you liked the recipe.

Hello again, Amber. Yesterday I was making homemade salisbury steak with rosemary garlic roasted potatoes, and I thought it would be the perfect day to try the new creamed corn recipe that you so generously shared. I was only cooking for two people, so I cut your recipe to a 1/4 share of everything, so it looked something like this:

I did it on the stove top, combining everything but the corn into a small saucepan on low heat until the cheese was melted and bubbly, and then adding in the still frozen corn, stirring thoroughly, and then covering it and leaving it on low heat for more than an hour (while I was cooking the salisbury steak and rosemary garlic potatoes). I left the lid on the pot all of the time, only checking it to stir the ingredients once about every fifteen minutes.

After an hour, I did my first taste test, and it was yummy deliciousness! My sister and I both have a sweet tooth, so for our version, I doubled the amount of sugar, (meaning for that my 1/4 portion of the recipe, I ended up adding another tablespoon of sugar, making it a total of 2 tbls of sugar for 1 lb of corn). The result was super delicious, and we already know this will be one of those recipes that show up on our table again and again. Leaving it simmering over low heat for an hour allowed the sweet deliciousness to seep into the corn kernels, but I think the next time I try the recipe, I’ll try the crock pot method, to allow it even more time to marry the sweet flavors together.

Amber,
I lived in San Antonio for 7 years and that was one of the 1st placec we were taken to. Creamed Corn was my favorite other than the briskit. Thank you for publishing the recipe, I am making it tomorrow.
Janie

This recipe is meant for a crowd so it makes 20-25 servings, but ifs easily scalable. It is sweet, but not dessert sweet. You could always up the amount of sugar to your own tastes. It won’t mess anything up if you do.

I was just thinking that some Rudy’s creamed corn would be the perfect addition to my Thanksgiving table tomorrow but was bummed they’d be closed (I’m lucky enough to still be living here in Austin). This is the recipe that made the cut! Sounds sooooo savory- can hardly wait to try it!

AMAZING recipe! I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a TOTAL crowd pleaser! Even my mother-in-law couldn’t find anything negative to say and even asked for the recipe…Even better, my father-in-law insisted on taking home leftovers (well, what little there was!) Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I’d post a photo if I could! <3

Thank you Ashley! You are a GOD. I have made this recipe and it’s really good and I have mucked with a bit – because it’s not quite Rudys – so thanks so much. I had Rudys corn once and I can still taste it precisely in my head. .

I have been wondering about the Parmesan and I will try the white pepper also. I have only recently been using white pepper as compared to fresh ground black and it’s quite a different taste – almost sweet – very nice!

So THANKS… we made a 2 pd bag of corn last time for 3 of us – and it was guzzled. LOL.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I think you’d be surprised at how much the cream cheese mimics the combination of parmesan, whole milk, and whipping cream.

I’ll definitely be adding the white pepper and parmesan the next time I make this. As I said in the post, I adapted this recipe from something I found on a diet website. While I never claimed it was the exact Rudy’s Creamed Corn recipe, it’s as close as I’ve come without begging one of your cooks outright for the recipe.

My uncle was good friends with the original Rudy’s store owner in Leon Springs. They’ve both eaten this and tell me it’s pretty good. I hope you’ll try it

Getting the exact recipe for Rudy’s corn is almost impossible. I will say (as a former employee) that there is no cream cheese in their version. The corn made in the Original Rudy’s is made with a secret roux that is prepared in their commissary and then shipped to their store. The rest of the creamed corn is prepared in the unit with the roux, corn and heavy cream.

My mom made a fried corn and when I had Rudy’s it took me back. It tasted just like it. As far as I recall, my mom’s was made with a roux of flour, bacon grease, butter an and milk. Then she added sugar and lots of pepper. Heaven. I made this recipe with the cream cheese and it was good but not the same as Rudy’s to me.

My mom made a fried corn and when I had Rudy’s it took me back. It tasted just like it. As far as I recall, my mom’s was made with a roux of flour, bacon grease, butter. Then she added sugar and lots of pepper. Heaven. I made this recipe with the cream cheese and it was good but not the same as Rudy’s to me.

Rue. To thicken you use rue. Other than that, you have come up with most of the recipe. I can’t tell you measurements as it has been ages since I made it(at home and when I worked for them).
Salt, Sugar, White Pepper, Rue, Parmesan, frozen corn, heavy whipping cream, and whole milk

I’ve made it at events at home, I remember signing a waiver when I joined the team in Leon Springs and then opened the one in Westover Hills about not releasing the recipe. I guess the ingredients doesn’t break that right? LoL. RiP Doc.

I made it again the other night with a roux and it was much thicker and more like Rudys. I made it the regular way and couldn’t be fagged putting it in the slow cooker – so just did it in a pot on the stove. Once it was all blended, I added the roux and cooked it down further. I cooked it altogether for about an hour on the stove top.

I made up a roux of 2 tbls of butter melted and frothy, then added 2 tbls of flour to it – let it cook for about a minute and then stirred it into the corn mixture. Then let the corn cook for another 20 minutes of longer to thicken up.

In saying this, I think that the 1 teas of white pepper would do the trick when adding the roux. 3/4 teas seemed to be not ENOUGH this time. Just missing it’s lovely tang but the consistency was much better.

Hi Amber!
I’m from San Antonio, but I live in Boerne. I love your website! I’m going to try this recipe because I love Rudy’s creamed corn as much as you do from the sound of it. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

A Rudy’s just opened up here in Phoenix, and we tried it for the first time two days ago. I think I’ve already raved to 10 different people about the smoked turkey and that CRAZY GOOD creamed corn. So glad I googled it today and found you!!!!

When I was going through cancer treatment 10 years ago, a lady at the Hope Lodge where I stayed gave us this recipe, except hers only had butter, cream cheese and corn. We still make it to this day and you are right, there are NEVER any leftovers!! I really want to try your recipe though. I like the idea of the corn being even sweeter with the addition of the sugar and slow cooking it in a crock pot!! So glad to have found your recipe/site!!

Chelsea, I really hope you love it as much as we do. According to all the comments, it’s not necessarily a replica of Rudy’s recipe. But I gotta be honest, I think it tastes pretty much dead on. We never have any leftovers, that’s for sure. Let me know how you like it!

I’ve never had this type of creamed corn before. Stumbled onto this from Pinterest and decided to make it for our Canada Day BBQ. It was a huge hit, thank you! It will be going into my regular rotation of potluck and party dishes.

I lived in San Antonio for 9 years, and Rudy’s is the BEST BB-Q I have EVER eaten. My husband is military, and we have lived all over the world, so that is saying a lot about BB-Q
I love the creamed corn recipe you have posted, but for a Tex-Mex blend try adding jalapenos and garlic salt. The flavor is AMAZING!

Marie, those sound like faboosh additions! I completely agree about Rudy’s being the best BBQ. Every year, I pine for them at the NYC Big Apple BBQ. Salt Lick is amazing and delicious, but no one touches Rudy’s smoked turkey.

I just found this on pinterest and I’m so excited! Back when you could still bring outside food on planes, my dad brought me a quart of this stuff from Rudy’s (from Houston to Nashville) because he knew I would love it. And he was right! Can’t wait to try!

Katie, as far as I know, you can still bring outside food on planes. I do all the time.

I hope you come back and let me know how you like this recipe. As you can see from the comments, there’s a lot of divisiveness about this recipe, but I personally think it’s as close as we’re going to get without making a roux and a giant batch of corn.

Hey Em,
I think you could probably cut the cooking time down to an hour or two. I think it would depend on the size of crock pot you used as well. The first time you make it, just watch it and make sure there’s no burning.

Being from South Texas, I eat at Rudy’s alot. The cream corn is fantastic. I am making this for another side on thanksgiving. I did not think about Rudy’s corn, but I can’t wait for this result. Thanks for the post.

Love Rudy’s but we are in California. This recipe is a keeper! We just used it for Thanksgiving. The only twist was we sprinkled shredded parmesan cheese over it right before serving. Great crock pot recipe!

Can’t wait to try this recipe! We were introduced to Rudy’s famous creamed corn when we went to San Antonio for our daughters graduation from the Air Force and have talked about it ever since. Almosts worth the trip to Texas to eat at Rudy’s!

I’m also a born and bred Texas girl (from Austin) who currently lives out-of-state. We miss our TX BBQ like crazy and when I found this recipe I was so excited to serve it along with the brisket & ribs my brother had shipped to us! Thanks for making our meal even more like “home”! It really does taste just like Rudy’s! Yum!!

Kristin, nothing makes me happier than comments like this. I know exactly what you mean – adding in the sides that we crave next to a brisket is a sure trip home, without the airfare! Have a look through the archives – I also have a recipe for Borracho beans that will have you dreaming of home too. I love to serve them with the the Rudy’s Cream Corn whenever we’re having “Texas” day around here.

Will definitely try that Borracho bean recipe! Thanks for the tip! My 5-year-old told me tonight that she thought she could “eat the whole pot!” of leftover creamed corn! Good to see evidence of her “Texas” genes!

Oh Amber
I have never been to Rudy,s so have never tryed the cream corn but
this sounds so good I have to try it, headin to the store today.
I think i will try some pepperjack cheese in it for alittle kick. I would like to know have you ever frozen any of the cream corn, would love to have frozen for a quick fix at dinner.

I tried your creamed corn at the top of the page and it was delicious. I passed the recipe around at work and so far it seems to be a hit.
We became winter Texans for a month for the first time and was introduced to Rudys and their cream corn.. Needless to say I went back to the hotel right away and did a search and found your recipe. First thing I did when I got home was make it. Who cares if it was not exact. Tasted like it to me if not better. Good job for sharing it.

There’s a rudy’s down the road but figured id try it for a bbq. Everyone loved it and thought it was better then Rudy’s as it wasn’t as sweet as the original. ironically though, I had to add more sugar as it wasn’t sweet enough and a little more pepper. To each his own but a very good recipe! Thanks for sharing. Using it again today!!

Tina, thanks for taking the time to come back and tell me! I totally love this recipe, and I’m happy to hear it was a hit. Nothing like knowing people enjoy the food you made with your own two hands, right?

I believe there are about 3 1/3 cups of frozen corn to every pound. This will change if the corn is fresh, because the corn will weigh less when not frozen. You might be better off using a kitchen scale to weigh your frozen corn before adding it to the recipe, if you can, to make sure your ratios are right.